Store-counter



F. H. COLE. STORE COUNTER. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6. 1.919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented July 27, 1920.

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A TTORNEYS F. H. COLE. STORE COUNTER.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.,6| 1919.

A TI'ORNEYS said end in vertical FRED HAMDEN COLE, or YUMA, oonomno.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27,1920.

Application filed October 6, 1919. Serial No. 328,776.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Fnnn HAMDEN COLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yuma, in the county of Yuma and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Counters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in store counters, and has for its object to provide a device of the character specified, especially adapted for use in grocery stores, for making up orders, wherein the counter has a series of compartments, each provided with a sliding cover arranged to be slid to one end of the compartment, and to be stood at the osition, each of 'the said covers bearing t e name of the customer whose order is to be filled.

Another and more specific object is the provision of a counter of this character in which the compartment covers are provided with means whereby they will be prevented from being slid off the counter.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved counter looking from the rear, and with the compartments open,

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the counter from the front, with the compartments closed,

Fig. i is a longitudinal section.

- In the present embodiment of the invention, a suitable casing is provided consisting in the present instance of a front wall 1, a rear wall 2, and walls 3, and a bottom 4:. The casing is divided into a series of similar compartments by partitions 5 extending transversely of the casing, and a cover 6 is provided for each compartment.

It will be seen referring to Fig. 1, that the tops of the partitions 5 are flush with the upper edges of the sides and ends, and cleats 7 are secured to the partitions 5 at their tops. A finishing strip 8 is secured to the top of each partition, and a somewhat similar strip 8 is secured to the top of each end, and these strips extend beyond the partitions slightly as shown in Fig. 1, but not far enough to extend beyond the outer faces of the cleats.

Each of the covers 6 rests upon the cleats when in closed position, and the said covers are of the same thickness as the finishing strips, so that their upper surfaces will be ing the same, and at its rear end a handle 11 for convenience in handling the cover.

The cleats A not only strengthen the cover but are adapted to engage against the casing when the covers are in closed position for preventing the covers from being slid off the casing.

A legend may be placed on the rearmost cleat 10 if desired, and this cleat is so arranged that" when the cover is opened, the legendwill be well above the top of the casing and clearly visible.

In use, the casing may be arranged upon the counter as indicated at 12, or it may be arranged in any other suitable manner, and it will be noticed referring especially to Fig. 2 that the plate 4 forming the bottom of the compartments is spaced w 11 above the floor, and that the rearmost wall is removed below the said bottom, to provide ventilation and to'permit the casing to be kept clean. The front and ends are suitably ornamented as for instance by panels.

The device is especially adapted for country stores, as it does not take up extra floor space, and can be used as an ordinary counter either in retail or wholesale stores. Any one clerk can fill the order and any other clerk can check the order out to the customer, as the order book is filed in the compartment with the goods until the articles are checked out. The front of the counter may be paneledif desired, as shown in Fi 3.

I claim- A store counter comprising a casing divided by transverse vertical partitions into a plurality of similar compartments, cleats secured in each compartment at the opposite sides thereof, near the top, and forming guides, a rigid cover slidable on the cleats in each compartment and provided with a handle, the cleats being cut away at one side of the casing and rounded to permit the cover to tilt downwardly into the compartments and to asume an upright position, the rounded ends of the'oleats serving to retain the cover in Vertical position, with upon the under side of each cover and engaging against the inner surface of the oasing when the cover is in closed position, whereby to 'prevent t-he cover from being slid off the casing.

FRED HAMDEN 

